1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a remote lock operation apparatus for a light vehicle having no cabin. It is to be noted that the “light vehicle having no cabin” in the present invention may be any of a two-wheel car, a three-wheel car and a four-wheel car of the saddle-ride type and the seated type, and may include or not include a prime mover. For example, a motorcycle, a scooter, a bicycle and so forth are included in the two-wheel car.
2. Description of Background Art
In a conventional motorcycle, scooter or the like, various locking mechanisms for preventing theft or mischief such as, for example, a main stand locking apparatus, a steering handle locking apparatus, a seat locking apparatus and so forth are provided at suitable locations of a vehicle body. Those locking mechanisms can be locked and unlocked arbitrarily by a driver operating a locking operation section provided on the vehicle body side through a key operation.
Meanwhile, in four-wheel cars in recent years, an apparatus wherein a door locking mechanism can be locked and unlocked without a key by means of a remote lock operation apparatus which uses an infrared signal.
Thus, it is a possible idea to make it possible to lock and unlock the locking mechanism for a light vehicle such as a motorcycle having no cabin without a key by means of a remote lock operation apparatus which uses an infrared signal.
In this instance, the light vehicle is different from a four-wheel automobile in that it does not have a cabin which is surrounded by a roof, a side door and so forth, and an entire appearance of the vehicle body including a handle part and members around the handle part is exposed widely to the outside. Accordingly, when it is intended to provide an infrared receiver on an outer face of such a vehicle body as just described (particularly at the handle part or a member around the handle part), it is desired to eliminate alteration of an appearance part of the vehicle body to the utmost, thereby making the infrared receiver less striking.
Further, a light vehicle without a cabin may suffer from having the infrared receiver exposed to the sun, wind and rain, and also subject to mischief. In order to prevent such problems, it is necessary to additionally provide a special guard mechanism or waterproof mechanism for the infrared receiver. This increase the cost.
Meanwhile, the directivity required for an infrared receiver for the light vehicle generally is within the range of 45 degrees on the left and the right with respect to a longitudinal center line of the vehicle body as viewed rearwardly from the position of the left and right handle grips of the vehicle in the forward and backward direction of the vehicle body as seen in FIG. 1. Accordingly, the mounted position of the infrared receiver is preferably set to such a position at which the receiver can cover at least the directivity range without being influenced by the seat or a vehicle body rear portion.
The present invention has been proposed taking the foregoing into consideration, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a remote lock operation apparatus for a light vehicle which can satisfy the requirement described above, and is simple in structure and light in weight.